In the End
by justmomentary
Summary: She always knew it would end this way.


**Title:** In the End  
**Timeline:** Spoilers up to "Welcome to Liberty Village." This fic can take place anytime after that.  
**Rating:** PG, just to be on the safe side.  
**Summary: **She always knew it would end this way.

It had been a simple mission: get in, get what you came for, and get out. But nothing is ever simple, is it?

A part of her had always known it would end this way.

They had overpowered her, knocked her out.

When she came to, she was on the floor of some dusty warehouse.

She immediately went to grab her gun, only to discover that it wasn't there. In fact, everything was gone. They had stripped her clean of all her gear.

She could taste the blood in her mouth.

She slowly sat up, pain searing through her body.

She heard footsteps.

She looked up. And when she saw who was standing there, she rolled her eyes.

"Sark."

"Sydney," he said, a mischievous grin playing upon his lips.

She looked around, there was no else in the room. "I wouldn't stand there looking so cocky if I were you. Even without my gun, I'd have no problem kicking your ass."

"I have no doubt, Miss Bristow." He almost laughed. "I don't underestimate you. You're quite the agent, which is why I've got back-up."

As he said this, a group of men entered the room. They were big and bulging with muscle. She quickly counted how many there were.

"Twenty? Don't you think that's a little overkill?"

"Like I said, I don't underestimate you."

"So, what is this about, Sark? Surely you didn't drag me in here just for the hell of it."

"No, I have my reasons. Although, none of them really concern you. Well, they do, of course, but in a roundabout way."

"As fascinating as this is, can we get on with the torture? That is what's going to happen here, isn't it? Or were you just planning on talking me to death?"

"What I seek is revenge. Vengence, if you will. And I am a man that always gets what I want."

"Well, isn't that nice for you?"

"It's quite simple, really. You see, Agent Vaughn killed the woman I loved. Now, the only just punishment I can think of would be to kill the woman he loves. That's where you come in. It's nothing against you, Sydney. I'm actually quite fond of you -"

"Don't remind me."

Sydney looked down at the ground. This was it, she knew it. There was no way she could overpower this many men. They all had their guns drawn, and here she sat, bleeding and weaponless. This really wasn't a fair fight.

She could feel the tears begin to sting her eyes. This was it, this was the end. There were so many things she hadn't said to so many people. So much she had left to do. Images began to flash in front of her eyes. Vaughn. Her dad. Weiss. Nadia. Will. Marshall. Dixon. She would never see any of them again.

The simple truth was that she was going to be killed tonight, unless they could get to her in time. But there was something, a feeling in the pit of her stomach, that told her that they wouldn't. She had no idea where she was, or how long she had been there. It could be two days, it could be two years. Hey, it'd been known to happen.

"But to show you that I am not completely heartless, I will allow you to make one phone call. For one minute. Say your goodbyes."

He threw a cell phone at her and as he was walking out of the room, he said, "I really do mean it. Say your goodbyes. I know that it only takes thirty seconds to trace a call. The phone is untraceable. And even if it was, they wouldn't make it in time."

Hot tears began streaming down her face. She clumsily opened the phone and quickly dialed the number she had known by heart for five years.

"Hello?" She bit her lip, tasting the salty tears that she was shedding. Her heart broke at the sound of his voice. She sniffled. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Vaughn," she whimpered.

"Sydney! Oh God, Syd. Are you okay? We heard fighting and then your comms went off air. We couldn't reach you. We couldn't find you. Where are you? I was so-"

"Vaughn," she said again. "Please, just...there's not much time. There's something you have to know." She took a deep breath.

"Syd? Syd, what's going on?" Panic filled his voice.

"Please, just listen to me. I love you. I have for a long time. I always will. Don't ever forget that."

"Sydney, you're scaring me. You're talking like -"

She cut him off. Her voice is cracking, her words are barely audible above the sobs that are coursing through her body. "This is end."

"No," he says, his voice breaking. He says it with such conviction that for a second, she believes him. "We'll find you. Just hold on."

"It'll be too late." Her hands are trembling, she can barely hold on to the phone, much less anything else. "Please, I don't have time to argue about this. Just listen. Okay? I love you, Vaughn. Nothing, not even death, will ever change that. This life is just temporary. It's just flesh and blood. But my heart...you will _always_ have my heart."

"Oh, Syndey." She can hear him sobbing. "I love you. And I'm sorry so for everything. I shoudn't have...I should have told you -" He stops, unable to continue, to voice these words, the have this one last conversation with her. It's too final. Too permanent.

"Shh. It's okay. It'll be okay," she closes her eyes as she says this. She thinks that maybe if she forces herself to believe this, he will too. "Tell my dad that I love him and that I forgive him...for everything. Tell Weiss that I couldn't have made it without him, that he's the best friend a girl could have. Tell Nadia, tell her that she's the best sister a girl could ask for. Tell Dixon that he was the best partner I ever could have had. And tell Marshall that he hasn't lost his keys, he's just misplaced them."

"Oh Sydney. Oh my Sydney. You're the only one I ever wanted, you know that, right? I wish I could take your place. God, this can't be happening. No. I can't lose you again."

"You're not losing me. You could never lose me. Don't worry. We'll find each other. Remember? We'll always find each other." She can barely breathe now, the realization that everything is about to come to an end is just now sinking in. She'll never get to see him again, to hold him, to kiss him.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't save you."

"But you did. You'll always save me, even when you don't realize it."

"The story I told at the car dealership -"

"Was true. I know. It would have been perfect, Vaughn. And I would have said yes."

For that brief moment, they both smiled. But then they were brought back to reality, to a place where Santa Barbara and giraffes with crooked knecks and Vaughn proposing with one knee in sawdust would never happen. Not in this lifetime. _But there's always the next_, she thought silently.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Sark reenter the room.

"I love you, Syd. I love you so much."

"You're my reason. For everything. I love you," she pauses, wiping the tears away from her eyes,"I have to go now."

"No, Sydney. No!"

"My guardian angel," she says and without giving him the chance to respond, the pressed the 'End' button.

She turns to Sark. "So, are we gonna do this now?"

"Yes, I suppose we are."

He notices her getting into a fighting position. "You can't be serious. Do you really think you'll win this?"

"No, but I can die trying."


End file.
